Will I be able to find a legal job? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hello,

I am not sure if there is anyone on here has similar experience, but am seeking some advice. I graduated from a T-30 law school couple years ago. Due to family reasons, I have to take a full-time non-legal job. Now, as things go back to normal, I kinda want to go back to find a legal job, but am not sure whether the two year gap post graduation has put an end to all possibilities of finding a legal job for me. Does anyone know anybody have similar circumstances? What is your advice for someone in my position to find a legal job or not to find a legal job? And where should I focus my search?

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Hello,

I am not sure if there is anyone on here has similar experience, but am seeking some advice. I graduated from a T-30 law school couple years ago. Due to family reasons, I have to take a full-time non-legal job. Now, as things go back to normal, I kinda want to go back to find a legal job, but am not sure whether the two year gap post graduation has put an end to all possibilities of finding a legal job for me. Does anyone know anybody have similar circumstances? What is your advice for someone in my position to find a legal job or not to find a legal job? And where should I focus my search?

Thanks!

OL so take with a grain of salt.... but I know a girl who graduated from a T-50 and then decided she wanted to be a high school teacher, so she did that for about 1.5 years and then found a legal job. I think her approach was interning at a place for a bit and then seeing if she could leverage that into a job offer. She also networked like crazy.

Edit: Oops didn't mean to put this on anon

[zot1]

You will be find. It'll be more difficult because you lack the experience of a peer who graduated the same time as you, but you will eventually find an employer willing to bet on you.

I think your strategy should be how you will explain away the fact that you worked in a different field for two years.

Compassionate people will hear the story you provided here and understand. However, most attorneys won't want to hear your story because it is an indication that you could leave their firm if another family emergency happens.

[reasonable_man]

When you say "legal job" what do you mean? Narrow this down a bit so that the collective We of TLS can offer some insight. Are you talking about a litigation job; an in-house corporate job; a corporate associate at a law firm, compliance position that is JD+, insurance claims, etc. I think the approach is very different for each of those things and how difficult it will be to break into each (and other un-named areas of "legal work") will vary. Give some more specifics. General though: I don't think you're screwed at all - just need to have a real idea of what you want to do first.

EDIT: And what type of work experience did you have during law school and what non-legal work did you do afterward?

[Anonymous User]

When you say "legal job" what do you mean? Narrow this down a bit so that the collective We of TLS can offer some insight. Are you talking about a litigation job; an in-house corporate job; a corporate associate at a law firm, compliance position that is JD+, insurance claims, etc. I think the approach is very different for each of those things and how difficult it will be to break into each (and other un-named areas of "legal work") will vary. Give some more specifics. General though: I don't think you're screwed at all - just need to have a real idea of what you want to do first.

EDIT: And what type of work experience did you have during law school and what non-legal work did you do afterward?

Thanks for the response!

Anything JD required is good. Anything JD required that pays $65K or above is preferable (since that is what I am making now, and I have a family to feed). My experience during law school is somewhat typical: intern with a judge the first summer, clerk for a mid-size law firm the second summer (no offer because the firm did not take on anyone), clinics, journal, moot court, etc. I am working as a project manager now for a medium-size, regional health plan. And I am in CA if that matters.

[zot1]

When you say "legal job" what do you mean? Narrow this down a bit so that the collective We of TLS can offer some insight. Are you talking about a litigation job; an in-house corporate job; a corporate associate at a law firm, compliance position that is JD+, insurance claims, etc. I think the approach is very different for each of those things and how difficult it will be to break into each (and other un-named areas of "legal work") will vary. Give some more specifics. General though: I don't think you're screwed at all - just need to have a real idea of what you want to do first.

EDIT: And what type of work experience did you have during law school and what non-legal work did you do afterward?

Thanks for the response!

Anything JD required is good. Anything JD required that pays $65K or above is preferable (since that is what I am making now, and I have a family to feed). My experience during law school is somewhat typical: intern with a judge the first summer, clerk for a mid-size law firm the second summer (no offer because the firm did not take on anyone), clinics, journal, moot court, etc. I am working as a project manager now for a medium-size, regional health plan. And I am in CA if that matters.

That's ambitious.

[reasonable_man]

When you say "legal job" what do you mean? Narrow this down a bit so that the collective We of TLS can offer some insight. Are you talking about a litigation job; an in-house corporate job; a corporate associate at a law firm, compliance position that is JD+, insurance claims, etc. I think the approach is very different for each of those things and how difficult it will be to break into each (and other un-named areas of "legal work") will vary. Give some more specifics. General though: I don't think you're screwed at all - just need to have a real idea of what you want to do first.

EDIT: And what type of work experience did you have during law school and what non-legal work did you do afterward?

Thanks for the response!

Anything JD required is good. Anything JD required that pays $65K or above is preferable (since that is what I am making now, and I have a family to feed). My experience during law school is somewhat typical: intern with a judge the first summer, clerk for a mid-size law firm the second summer (no offer because the firm did not take on anyone), clinics, journal, moot court, etc. I am working as a project manager now for a medium-size, regional health plan. And I am in CA if that matters.

I don't think $65K is THAT ambitious. I think that's probably doable.

It doesn't sound like you have a hardcore desire to "practice law" - so much as you don't want the degree to completely go to waste? Is that a fair assessment? Assume for a second you were offered a job at a mid-sized firm and had to work 10 hour+ days going forward; would you be interested in that?

[zot1]

Yeah, but you're more reasonable than I am

[reasonable_man]

Yeah, but you're more reasonable than I am

First Time I've been accused of that

[Anonymous User]

When you say "legal job" what do you mean? Narrow this down a bit so that the collective We of TLS can offer some insight. Are you talking about a litigation job; an in-house corporate job; a corporate associate at a law firm, compliance position that is JD+, insurance claims, etc. I think the approach is very different for each of those things and how difficult it will be to break into each (and other un-named areas of "legal work") will vary. Give some more specifics. General though: I don't think you're screwed at all - just need to have a real idea of what you want to do first.

EDIT: And what type of work experience did you have during law school and what non-legal work did you do afterward?

Thanks for the response!

Anything JD required is good. Anything JD required that pays $65K or above is preferable (since that is what I am making now, and I have a family to feed). My experience during law school is somewhat typical: intern with a judge the first summer, clerk for a mid-size law firm the second summer (no offer because the firm did not take on anyone), clinics, journal, moot court, etc. I am working as a project manager now for a medium-size, regional health plan. And I am in CA if that matters.

That's ambitious.

really?

[zot1]

When you say "legal job" what do you mean? Narrow this down a bit so that the collective We of TLS can offer some insight. Are you talking about a litigation job; an in-house corporate job; a corporate associate at a law firm, compliance position that is JD+, insurance claims, etc. I think the approach is very different for each of those things and how difficult it will be to break into each (and other un-named areas of "legal work") will vary. Give some more specifics. General though: I don't think you're screwed at all - just need to have a real idea of what you want to do first.

EDIT: And what type of work experience did you have during law school and what non-legal work did you do afterward?

Thanks for the response!

Anything JD required is good. Anything JD required that pays $65K or above is preferable (since that is what I am making now, and I have a family to feed). My experience during law school is somewhat typical: intern with a judge the first summer, clerk for a mid-size law firm the second summer (no offer because the firm did not take on anyone), clinics, journal, moot court, etc. I am working as a project manager now for a medium-size, regional health plan. And I am in CA if that matters.

That's ambitious.

really?

I only think so because you haven't had any legal experience in two years and you haven't written any sort of legal document since (please correct me if I'm wrong). The firms that can pay 80k-120k wouldn't spend that kind of salary on someone without that experience. Unless of course your experience is useful in a particular field or whatnot.

I mean, I could be wrong. This is all me and others speculating.

[Anonymous User]

I don't think $65K is THAT ambitious. I think that's probably doable.

It doesn't sound like you have a hardcore desire to "practice law" - so much as you don't want the degree to completely go to waste? Is that a fair assessment? Assume for a second you were offered a job at a mid-sized firm and had to work 10 hour+ days going forward; would you be interested in that?

That's fair assessment. I've asked myself that too.

To answer your hypothetical question: definitely I will be interested. But would I take it without qualifications? maybe not. What will be the pay? What are the job responsibilities? I definitely don't need big law salaries, not that I have a good resume for big law; or don't look for DOJ or clerkship position for the same reasons. But 10+ hours jobs are not too bad if they pay adequately and are interesting in nature. But that's not an option I have, and I'd rather wail til I have that option.

[Anonymous User]

I only think so because you haven't had any legal experience in two years and you haven't written any sort of legal document since (please correct me if I'm wrong). The firms that can pay 80k-120k wouldn't spend that kind of salary on someone without that experience. Unless of course your experience is useful in a particular field or whatnot.

I mean, I could be wrong. This is all me and others speculating.

I was thinking entry-level positions, not first-, or second-year positions...maybe I have a misconception of how low pay entry-level non-big law legal jobs are.

[zot1]

I only think so because you haven't had any legal experience in two years and you haven't written any sort of legal document since (please correct me if I'm wrong). The firms that can pay 80k-120k wouldn't spend that kind of salary on someone without that experience. Unless of course your experience is useful in a particular field or whatnot.

I mean, I could be wrong. This is all me and others speculating.

I was thinking entry-level positions, not first-, or second-year positions...maybe I have a misconception of how low pay entry-level non-big law legal jobs are.

It depends on the market you're in and the firms. As I was corrected recently, shit law is between 35-60. Midlaw is 60-100 (although I'm sure it could be hire for boutiques and IP firms). BigLaw is 160. This is for LA market. I used to think that not many people landed midlaw. I realize now that's because I mostly know people in BigLaw and only two in shit law, but only one in midlaw. Also, lots of people on TLS seem to think its hard to land midlaw. But there's at least one dude on here who's told me midlaw is a lot more common than I think.

So I guess you could land there, my point was that entry level positions in law still expect you to know something. I doubt you remember how to cite something. I'm not trying to pick on you or anything. Call this a "playing the devil's advocate" kind of commentary.

And I wasn't kidding when I said your biggest hurdle will be explaining away why you worked outside of law for two years.

[reasonable_man]

I'm an associate at a national mid-law firm. They exist. I promise.

Your best bet Op is a mid law firm that will hire you entry level. Focus on firms with strong healthcare or employee benefit practice groups and try to highlight your experience and use it as a bridge to practicing law.

Your new story line: You always wanted to be a health care or employee benefit \ ERISA lawyer, but that darn job market was so tight when you got out of school. So you took a great job within the health care industry to tide you over until you found your dream job as a health care lawyer or ERISA lawyer and you spent the whole time building valuable knowledge in the field and making strong industry connections. I mean shit - had you known just how valuable the experience would have been you'd probably have taken the job even faster than you did. You just can't wait to get your entry level start in health care or ERISA law so that you can apply your inside understanding of health care. Mention something about the ACA too. No lawyers actually know what that's about but everyone knows it's important.

For the love of God do not lead with a sad story about taking a low stress job because you had family problems. It will not sound right, no matter how you do it. I promise.

So there is your answer. Go make it happen.